'The New Normal' will take on 'Honey Boo Boo' in Halloween episode

During a conference call with reporters earlier today, creator Ryan Murphy revealed that the new comedy series starring Justin Bartha and Andrew Rannells will be paying homage to the TLC reality sensation in the show's upcoming Halloween episode.

"I’m stopped every day and hear about that [show] every day," said Murphy. "We came up with that whole idea because Bebe [Wood, who plays the young daughter of Georgia King's character] is such an eccentric, exotic child and she was doing that imitation while we were shooting the pilot, so of course I had to take that and run with it."

The episode in question will see the series' central "family" - Bartha and Rannells play David and Bryan, a gay couple who hire a single mother named Goldie (King) to be their surrogate - dressing up as the "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" clan for Halloween after Bryan learns that Goldie's eight-year-old daughter Shania (Wood) is a fan of the series.

In addition to the "Honey Boo Boo" news, Murphy also revealed that TV legend Marlo Thomas ("That Girl") will guest star on an upcoming episode of the series as the owner of a real estate company who becomes a mentor to Ellen Barkin's character. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the actress will pop up somewhere around the show's 10th episode.